


Fire--Not Always Destructive

by Sophisticated_Dude



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: F/F, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-26 04:27:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7560091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophisticated_Dude/pseuds/Sophisticated_Dude
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skyrim's hero, Skyrim's last--nay, only chance of survival against the dragons--was honing her powers, and wanted to learn more of magic at the College of Winterhold, but an Altmer--"Here we go again." she thought, as with all Altmer she ever met, that this one would be rude, self-righteous, conceited, and pushy--stood in her path.<br/>"It would seem the College holds what you seek."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Karos ran through the street--the only street, as there were only four buildings standing, a line of three and one across from them--and up the inclination leading up to a bridge. Surely it led to some ruins filled with power and danger, both of which would make her more capable of fighting the dragons who had returned.

She hadn't expected someone to be waiting there, though. Waiting or guarding, she couldn't decided, until the woman--Altmer, she noticed--spoke, "Cross the bridge at your own peril!"

Guardian, then.

"The way is dangerous and the gate will not open. You shall not gain entry!" the woman was an Altmer, and so far sounded...not as snobbish as expected, now that Karos thought about it. Only one way to know.

"Why are you out here?" Karos tried to not seem suspicious, but she had to wonder why an Altmer would be here, guarding the way to an ancient looking place that probably had a lot of value, either in powerful artifacts or a Wall of Power. Were there Thalmor inside, hording powerful items for themselves?

"I am here to assist those seeking the wisdom of the College. And if, in the process, my presence helps to deter those who might seek to do it harm, so be it. The more important question is: why are you here?"

"What is this place?" Karos inquired, bracing herself for an uppity, "Oh, I can't believe you would ask such a daft question!" type of response.

"Oh, forgive me." the Altmer shifted her stance uncomfortably, the effort it took to meet the newcomer's gaze was apparently great, but she recovered and began a formal explanation, "Most who arrive here do so because they have heard of the College beforehand. This is the College of Winterhold, a safe haven for mages in Skyrim. A place of magic and arcane knowledge."

"May I enter the College?" Karos inquired, very happy to find an Altmer--or anyone--with whom she could speak politely with.

"Perhaps. But what is it you expect to find within?"

Karos smirked and folded her arms, leaned on the old bridge's stone support, "I just wanted to see what it looked like inside."

The Altmer chuckled and shook her head, "Ha! Humor is often on short supply here. But I sense that perhaps your after more than just that. It would seem the College has what you seek. The question now is what you can offer to the College. Not just anyone is allowed inside. Those wishing to enter must show some degree of skill with magic. A small test, if you will."

"I'll take your test, then." Karos nodded.

"Excellent. A standard spell for one skilled in Destruction magic is the Firebolt. Casting one at the seal on the ground here would be sufficient."

"I don't know that spell." Karos cringed, waiting for Faralda to go full blown Altmer, which often happened whenever an Altmer showed her up, and if that could happen, it often did. Though elves in general seemed to do that quite a lot, either out of habit from mean humans, or what, she didn't know.

"No? Well, if you think you're capable of it, I'd be happy to provide it to you for a mere thirty gold." she dropped one hand to her side and shrugged, "Or you could try your luck with one of the court wizards around Skyrim. They also sell spells."

The blue eyed Breton's jaw slacked as she reached into her pocket, pulled out the gold, counted it as she let the coins slide into the Altmer's hand. Skin contact was required for accuracy, and she found that that Altmer's hands were chilly from being exposed to the cold, and wished--because the Altmer was so pleasant and beautiful--that she could warm them up with her own hands, "Okay, this is for the spell."

"Here you are. Now I'm anxious to see you cast it."

Karos felt the power of the heat build in her hand and form into a sphere, then aimed at the markings on the ground and released the bond between spell and caster, and watched as the seal lit up in a sky blue outline of the seal's eye symbol.

"Well done indeed." Faralda approached the mage, "I think you'll be a superb addition to the College. Welcome, Apprentice."

Karos felt something warm in her heart at the Altmer's words. Directing her to the College of Winterhold was the nicest thing Farengar had ever done for her, besides letting her use his enchantment table and alembic set.

"I'll lead you across the bridge. Once your inside, you'll want to speak with Mirabelle Ervine our Master Wizard. Please, follow me."

 

Once she had been shown around the College grounds by Mirabelle, she went in and listened to Tolfdir's lecture. She didn't know what to think when Tolfdir asked her opinion and he replied by saying she sometimes had to make judgements without all the information. She only meant to stay neutral, but he made her feel silly and indecisive, not to mention unimaginative and more than a little ticked off, considering he was just telling everyone they were being overly eager about learning how to use magic, so she decided not to try to find a middle ground anymore.

She started to say something about agreeing with Brelyna, but decided to hold her tongue now that he moved onto the topic of wards.

The older mage took a while of her struggling to hold a ward until he finally hit, after she waited for her magicka to return for the second time. She decided she liked shields better...maybe she'd make a shield with a lot of magic resistance.

After the demonstration was over Tolfdir told them to meet at Saarthal in a few hours.

"J'zargo will stay here and practice with Brelyna, what are you going to do?" J'zargo asked Karos.

"I was actually thinking of visiting our teacher in Destruction magics." Karos replied, then pointed to the receding back of a certain Dunmer, "Good luck practicing with her when she's leaving."

"Ah, that is a shame, as a Dark Elf, she would be good to learn from." J'zargo sighed, "Oh well, I will have to make due with this one. Come, Onmund, you have the honor of practicing with J'zargo."

 

Karos left as soon as she could to find Faralda. It was early yet, and according to the Master Wizard, everyone would be out of their rooms by now except Faralda, who preferred to stay in when she could.

"Hello, teacher?!" Karos called out looking at the multiple doorways that she didn't feel like looking through. Faralda walked out of her room and Karos ran up to her.

"What is it, Apprentice?" Faralda inquired, seeming more concerned than she expected even a non-Mer to be.

"Nothin's wrong, teach," Karos held her hands together behind her, feet firmly planted as she swayed her hips, "um, do you, uh...I mean...the, um, College is...I mean, the room arrangements."

"Are not to your liking?" Faralda filled in.

"No, no, not a problem...just...the guys are going to be sleeping in the same room as me?"

"Ah...yes, did you want that to be so?"

"No...but, uh, it's fine."

"Hmm, it's an awkward arrangement for you?"

"Yeah, sort of...but then, any arrangement would be." Karos hadn't come here specifically to talk about herself or the bedrooms, but wasn't going to hide anything.

"How do you mean?" Faralda pressed.

"Ah, well...may I be direct and unconcerned with with social standards and...niceties, I guess you could say?"

"You may." Faralda bent her elbow outwards and rested her wrist against her hip as she nodded.

"Well, hah...I like women."

"Hm?" Faralda raised her eyebrows and cocked her head.

"As in...love, not like friends or something...romance and...relationship stuff-" the Altmer took a step back and Karos turned her eyes to the ground.

"Did you...come here with that in mind?"

"O-oh, no, I actually just wanted to talk about something, then I remembered I hadn't noticed any designation in the room Mirabelle Ervine showed me to...and I don't know...I guess I wasn't going to try to not tell you, since you asked."

"Well, there's nothing for you to worry about, seeing as Skyrim doesn't bear animosity towards same sex relations."

"O-oh, I didn't know...what about you?" Karos turned her eyes to the ground and muttered, "You just seem sort of frustrated."

"I'd rather not discuss myself...at least not here." Faralda sighed, "I'll meet you at the roof...when you return, look in my dresser, if I'm ready to talk, then under the clothes you'll find a note."

Karos nodded and backed up. Faralda seemed upset, so she wasn't sure what to think, but she wanted to go to Saarthal immediately. It was just some old ruins, there'd probably be nothing there to slow them down.

 

She had been wrong about the journey to Saarthal, as though the way there wasn't perilous enough, there were draugr and traps in Saarthal's deepest reaches, which she discovered by finding a necklace on a wall, and then one of the Gualdurs were sealed in there, along with some orb. After reporting to the Arch-Mage, she ran back to Faralda's room, or at least the one she seemed to recall belonging to the Altmer. The air in the rooms seemed unique, and the one she took to be Faralda's had a scent that agreed with her more than she expect, it also held a dresser with a note to "Pupil" from "Teacher", so she rubbed her forehead and tried to remember how to get to the roof.

Once she made it up she was sure Faralda would have gotten cold feet, but when she looked around she found the Destruction mage looking out at the land and sea below the College.

"I wasn't sure you'd come." Faralda almost whispered in the still night air.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to take so long-" Karos began, but a chuckle interrupted her.

"I meant this...listening to me, why I got...irritated the other day."

"Well, you seemed sad, too."

"You're a Breton...and yet, you're not suspicious of me. I accepted it without question, but-" Faralda turned away and groaned, "I shouldn't ask, but with this war...recent events...under any other circumstances I wouldn't need to ask. In a time of peace..."

"I understand, for all you know, I heard there were Altmer here and came to 'purge' the hold...but that makes me curious why you weren't afraid of me."

"I was, when you came up so boldly, but you weren't a threat...this is why I love the College, why it must survive, people can be here without any hate to separate us."

"I agree, I kind of wish the College would take action in the recent conflict...not with magic, but logic, wisdom." Karos laid a hand Faralda's shoulder, "Talking, listening...Ulfric should have used his inborn voice, shout with his own throat, if he had to. I'm here for you, Teach."

"Faralda."

"Karos."

"No use beating about the bush...I loved a Nord once, she was strong and kind, but it was all superficial, she didn't even like me, she simply tolerated my stupid giggles and love-struck sighs...then her allies captured my family, I killed my own people to keep my family alive, one day I freed them and they left, but there was one last leash. I was so in over my head, she kept giving me gifts during the time my family stayed, she kept...messing with my head. After my family left and troops stopped coming into the ship's prison, she came down with another soldier...she was threatened by another soldier, with a very large, very sharp ax. He said if I didn't continue using my magic to burn villages, he'd kill her and burn her and I'd have to watch. Another came down with a knife drawn and got behind me, and I walked up into the cold air, and they bound my feet to the ground. She came down to visit me, she flirted with me, told me she loved me...and it hurt because I knew she could be lying...so I used a light spell, and kept it just under the blind spot at the head of the boat, and then she found out...she offer me a kiss if I'd drop the antics...told me I could stay with her at night...so I did as I was told.

"Though she withheld the kiss, that night she brought me to her room, I pretended to be asleep until she was asleep, and lifted her key from her pockets, and found she had been ordered to trick me. She had scouted ahead and was a valuable member of the Imperial army, the next day, as she guided me to my place, I turned and asked her to hold me...and as she held me, I cast a rune at her feet, the fiery explosion threw us overboard, she tried to strangle me, but I knew recipe for a waterbreathing potion, I offered her one under the waves, drank it to show her that's how I lived, but she punched me in the gut and surfaced. I woke up on the island far behind the College, and after surviving the harsh weather and creatures, I found the College, and knew I was in Skyrim. I never saw her again, but I kept the reports she gave her captain for all her eloquence, she wrote some rather vulgar things about me, words I didn't know existed, and so I've lived, heartbroken for so long, I almost grew irreversibly stoic, but out her-" Faralda flinched as Karos brushed a thumb over her cheek, "This is how I spend some days...every two or three months...I don't want to forget, even if it hurts."

"Faralda...I didn't know."

"Nobody does...I've kept it a secret, even casting a basic invisibility spell if I think someone will find me here, and then I run further down until I realize it was just a door opening far below, and then I see it's morning...everyone's awake." Faralda gasped when the Nord embraced her, but held onto her as she leaned into hold, safe in those warm arms, she was sure, but the detected a presence nearing them from below, "Someone's coming."

Karos let go and watched as the Altmer vanished, then looked up at the moons to feign preoccupation.

"J'zargo was wandering if you wanted to practice, as thanks for testing my scrolls." Karos turned to the Khajiit and frowned.

"Sorry, I'm sure you could, eh, bestow that favor upon someone else. Like Brelyna or Onmund."

"Onmund...doesn't like me too much since I was, ah, appraising his family heirloom."

"And Brelyna?"

"She doesn't like me since I bet with Enthir that I could steal  a certain...article without her notice."

"What kind of an article...you mean like clothe--J'zargo! Idiot!" she yelled as she realized what he meant.

"J'zargo says this under presumption of confidentiality-"

"There's no confidentiality about stealing a woman's undergarments!"

"Shh, shh, keep your voice down! J'zargo just needs to avoid her for a little longer until she grows tired of the chase."

"Fine...I won't say anything, but scram, cat, before I find Brelyna and hold you down while _she_ skins you!" J'zargo backed away, thoroughly intimidated by the Breton. Karos turned around and drew in breath, then spoke in a whisper, "Laas!"

Karos smiled when she saw the aura of Faralda, and turned around to makes sure no one else was present, "Rest assured, I'll find the root of the problem, and I'll fix this issue it won't come up again."

"Just...don't incinerate him." Faralda smiled breaking the invisibility spell.

"I won't, Faralda...um, so, maybe you could teach me a little about Destruction spells later?"

"Meet me back up here?"

"Sure, if you're comfortable with that."

"I am. I'll see you then, Apprentice Karos."

 

 


	2. The Teacher and Pupil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suspense! Drama! Conspiracies! The good kind, where the heroine messes things up for a couple of trouble-makers.

Karos sneaked into Enthir's room and slid volume two of "Lusty Argonian Maid" under his pillow, then made her way down the stairs, where she found the Khajiit who'd caused such a stir. She found a quill, roll of paper, and inkwell on his desk, and took the quill, and placed it between the pages of "Lusty Argonian Maid" volume one, and slid it under J'zargo's bed. Now for the execution. She climbed into her bed and waited for the first signs of awakening from her peers, then got up and found J'zargo had discovered his quill missing.

"Hey, J'zargo, are you looking for a certain article?" Karos asked, causing him to turn fiercely at her and hiss quietly, a finger pressed to his lips. She smiled and nodded.

"It seems the implement with which J'zargo etched magic words onto paper has vanished, you seem good finding small, lost things." the Khajiit mused.

"Okay, first, where _won't_ it be?"

"The quill shouldn't be in my dresser or desk or chest, but these places, J'zargo will check as a last resort."

"Okay, J'zargo." Karos smiled, "Leave it to me...you don't mind if I have a little help though, right? I'm sure Onmund and Brelyna could lend me a hand or two, right? That way you can write when you get back!"

"J'zargo likes this plan, find it however you must." with that, the Khajiit left.

"Hey, Brelyna, Onmund, could you help me find J'zargo's quill?"

"Sorry, I'm kinda busy." Onmund blurted, "I need to find something to, uh, sell later for extra cash so I can buy supplies."

"I'm free enough, though J'zargo's sick antics yesterday delayed my study time..."

"I heard about that." Onmund turned back to them, "Enthir said he stole them off of your person, he was joking, though, right?"

"Yes, they were in my dresser, otherwise I would have preserved his paw and mount it on my wall, and daily experiment on curses with him. " Brelyna informed, following Karos to J'zargo's space, "Oh, you did say J'zargo's room."

"Sorry...you can bail if you want, I won't hold it against you." Karos chuckled, as she reached forward and slid miscellaneous objects out from under the bed, "You probably want time to figure out which curse to cast first, besides it's just a feather, J'zargo's so great, he can always go get a new one, I'm sure the teachers have plenty."

"Um, what's that?" Brelyna knelt down and picked up the book by Karo's knee, and pulled the book open to find the quill, "Oh...this book. I wouldn't be surprised, but then, I never pictured J'zargo reading before. I mean, it's not a _bad_ book, but it seems like a parody or something."

"I agree, but it's not funny, so it comes off as rather...disappointing."

"Yes, exactly, I only read both because one was right with the other and I was just barely curious enough to wonder how it ended." Brelyna smiled and stroked the feather across Karos' nose, "Keep the bookmark?"

"Ha, ha, you're bad." Karos chuckled.

"What are you two going on about?" Onmund stomped over to them and stared at the letters on the book, "Ha, I didn't know J'zargo read anything, much less this."

"You didn't like it much either, then?"

"No, what? Are you kidding? This was one of those books that just keeps me thirsting for more!" Karos thought he was kidding when he pointed out she had found the quill, she realized he realized what had happened, and was fairly certain he wasn't joking.

 

J'zargo came back after an hour and found Karos donating herself to Brelyna's spells, while Onmund ran out to greet him, "I didn't know you read, um, L-A-M, so, what did you think?"

"Think? Books disinterest J'zargo." J'zargo began to walk past Onmund, but the Nord stood in his way again.

"Oh, no need to hide, I also liked it, I thought there should've been a third volume."

"You disinterest J'zargo." J'zargo informed, "Go away."

"Fine, be that way, but next time you're too ashamed of a book to discuss it, don't stuff you precious quill as a bookmark in it."

"Ah, so she found the bookmark? This interests me." J'zargo turned to Karos and Brelyna, then back to Onmund, "Go away."

J'zargo approached Karos and Brelyna, who held her spell directed at J'zargo, "Still angry from yesterday, hm? Well, I'm not here for panties to steal, I'll go to Sergius for that, today J'zargo is here for the quill that Karos found."

"It's in your book." Brelyna bit.

"Thank you, but why do people keep saying I read books? For spells, yes, but not for amusement." J'zargo replied before leaving for his room.

Suddenly Enthir came down from his room and dropped a book on the floor, "I don't know which of you perverts this belongs to, but it's the second volume of trash with a subtle title."

"That's J'zargo's," Onmund replied, then snapped, "and how is it a subtle title or trash? Was I the only one who wanted a third volume?"

J'zargo came back out of his room and dropped the first volume on it, "J'zargo do not have need for books unless they teach powerful spells."

"Wait, has J'zargo been getting those books from you?" Onmund demanded.

"No, he hasn't, everyone knows he doesn't need books, he finds them impractical."

"Well, you know a lot about him for someone who stays up in their room all day." Karos pointed out.

"That's true," Brelyna glared at the elf and cat person, "do you know what he did yesterday, Enthir?"

"No, am I supposed to keep tabs on him all day everyday?" Enthir shot back.

Brelyna turned to Karos, who had started fidgeting, "What is it? Karos...would you know something of this?"

"H-huh, this is about those two!" Karos turned away.

"Don't pay attention to her, she's just trying to make crap up." Enthir spat.

"You're a bad liar, Enthir." Brelyna replied evenly, "I can put a nasty cold curse on both of you, but since it wouldn't be an actual cold, there would be no curing it, now both of you can go to your rooms and write up exactly what happened, I'll read the confessions and check them for inconsistencies, then burn them."

"Oh, what the-look, I bet that J'zargo couldn't acquire some feminine underclothes to help me, er, restock, since I was selling a lot and needed to keep up with demand, how he got them was all him." Enthir half-admitted, half saved his arse, but completely threw the Khajiit under the cart.

"It was his fault, J'zargo only needed money for supplies, and saw that the quickest way was through the closet, yours, to be exact, and Karos said it'd be fine." J'zargo attempted to save his skin, but Brelyna glared at him.

"She was out last night!" Brelyna pointed out.

"Yes, but only to be gone when the dragon fire came down." J'zargo fabricated.

"Hey, I didn't tell you anything about it! But you want the truth...this _is_ the truth! I revealed you both by forcing an association outside of an environment that you could control, I hadn't expected it to be this easy, honestly, but I was right to put volume to in your room, Enthir, now if anything like this happens in the future, _both_ of you are in deep mammoth dung, and the best part? You both ratted each other out, like the thieves you truly are."

"Wait, you planted the quill and book in under J'zargo's bed?" Brelyna wondered.

"Yes, it was no use to say anything, they'd just deny it, and J'zargo said he only confessed because he assumed it wouldn't get out, and while I promised not to say anything, I didn't say I wouldn't make them confess. All I needed was a two part series that would make people blush, a way to set the scene." Karos turned to Brelyna and cleared her throat, "Sorry about...dragging you through this just for that, I'm sure you would have believed me, but...I needed someone to find the book to create dialogue, get it out that the book was there, that way everyone could make the connection."

"No, no, it's fine, now I know that both of them have to be kept an eye on, and that you're very clever." Brelyna smirked, then went back to her room.

"Yes, well, this is all for the best," Enthir sighed, "I lost a lot of money on that bet due to a technicality...it was supposed to be impossible for J'zargo to get the underwear because it was supposed to be on Brelyna, so I guess if the gambler in me decides to think about betting, I'll have two reasons not to."

"J'zargo also learned that, not only are Brelyna's spells cause for concern, but Karos's devious plots and a dishonorable salesman." J'zargo also left for his room and Enthir went back upstairs.

"Wow, despite it all, you managed to not get on anybody's bad side...impressive!" Onmund turned to Karos, who was heading for the door but smiled before she left.

"Eh, I try!"

 

"Sounds like you had an exciting day." Faralda remarked to the lounging mage, who rested against a battlement of the College as she recounted the adventures earlier that day in the Hall of Attainment.

"Ha, with the College, it seems there's never a dull moment!" Karos replied.

"We were going to study, right?" Faralda held out her hand and Karos reluctantly accepted, but kept her grip after she rose to her feet.

"Ahem...pupil?"

"Ah, right! Sorry!"

"It's fine, it's just...senior members, especially those training students under the banner of the College, are urged to maintain a...friendly distance from Apprentices."

"Oh...well damn, why?"

"I don't know...but teachers have gotten into a bit of trouble here, despite the College being very laid back, though I suspect it has something to do with being a distraction."

"But with a subject like magic, are we ever truly done learning? When does it turn from education to...politics?"

"Astute observation...but I promise, as soon as you're recognized as an advanced member here..." Faralda's skin reddened and she turned away.

"I'll wait...but I do like you."

"As do I, if I knew it'd be alright, I wouldn't try to keep us apart, but I find getting tossed out of the College an inconvenience for us both."

"What if I made the first move?"

Faralda shook her head and tried to sound annoyed, but a smirk played on her lips, "And what did you have in mind?"

"I don't know...maybe ask about you to the others, then when it turns out we're together, well, it looks like I took long enough working up my courage, doesn't it? No one can bother you with any talk of manipulating me if I take it upon myself to cover our tracks."

"Oh, Faralda, what have you done?" Nirya stepped out of the shadows, wearing a disapproving glare, "Corrupted our up-and-coming Apprentice? Tsk, shame on you! I ought to report you!"

"She's done no such thing!" Karos yelled, taking an offensive step forward, "Go back to your Thalmor lover, wench!"

"Unfortunately, Ancano has no time to turn his interests to me." the Altmer shoved Karos aside and faced Faralda, "The Arch-Mage will hear about this corruption...especially considering this is the most competent student we've gotten since me."

"Tell him what you will, no one will believe you, you've made no secret of your strong dislike for me."

"We'll see about that..." Nirya backed away, laughing quietly, "I knew there was a reason I didn't see either of you anywhere last night."

"Karos," Faralda took a deep breath, "I'd ask for you to not pursue this...the average human lifespan isn't worth living under shadows casts by the Niryas of the world."

"But you know I won't listen."

"What about your peers?"

"I don't know...I like you, I don't want to bottle that up...I don't want to run from it...I want to...be able to be with you."

"I feel the same way...just be patient, please..." Faralda kept her gaze apart from the Breton's, but Karos cupped her chin and turned to face her, primal heat flaring up in her.

"Faralda..." she wrapped her arms around Faralda and gazed as amenably as she could when their eyes met, but her breath was still deep, and her cheek was still pressed warmly against Faralda's, "I won't kiss you on the lips...just...is it okay if I hold you like this?"

"Y-yes." Faralda was sure she was as use to the cold as any Nord twice her age, half her age, or a third, two third, or ten years over or under her age, so the warmth she felt must have been just the shard body heat, although, now she though it, the air was nippy. Faralda found her hands steadily seeking out a comfortable angle on the Breton's lower back, and her lips pressed to the soft, milky, warm cheeks.

Karos' eyes half-closed as Faralda's lips trailed ever closer to her own, and made a point to shift her face to break contact, so Faralda couldn't help but see Karos' lips, offered to her own. Faralda pressed her lips to the Breton's their breath finding the others upper lips, the Skyrim chill giving them an excuse to hold each other with more desperation than they knew was good for them and their wait.

The shorter woman held Faralda's shoulder's, teeth set as she stared at those lips she craved, then Nirya's voice echoed in her head. Karos grimaced and shot several blasts of fire into the air, then ended it with a two hand blast of fire.

"Karos..." Faralda touched Karo's back. The Breton stiffened, so she withdrew her hand, "Talk to me."

"Nirya...she's going to try to make as much trouble as she can."

"Don't worry, I'll handle her."

"How?"

"I'm a senior, and I don't think people take her seriously, if everything's fine, then they have no reason to believe her...but I do ask that you consider alternate candidates."

"Can you at least give me my first kiss?"

"Hm, that would...likely cement us emotionally..."

"So 'no', then?"

"I'm sorry."

"Faralda..." Karos pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes closed, "I just want a small kiss...and I hate to push you like this...but...what if it was my fault, you're innocent and the whole mess is my fault? I'm sure they'll believe me!"

"Think about it...it'd sound like your seduced."

"But I'm not! It...dammit!"

"Karos..." Faralda closed her eyes as they stood in their embrace, and swayed the Breton comfortingly.

Soon they were joined by Mirabelle Ervine, "Faralda, what's wrong with our newest Apprentice?"

"A-"

"Nirya's trying to make things hard for me," Karos cried, holding onto Faralda, "is that girl a bitch to everybody?"

"She does have a history of antagonizing Faralda, they were Apprentices together, and while Faralda excelled...Nirya didn't quite reach her level of expertise in Destruction magic, instead her forte was Alteration, even then she wasn't that good...as long as you're unharmed I can do nothing but ask her to-" Mirabelle began.

"It's okay, Mirabelle...she's not worth your time...I'll try to forget about her." Karos interrupted.

"If you're sure...I can intimidate her."

"She's just a noisy arse...I just grateful for Faralda."

"Of course, Faralda's one of our bests, despite being a master of Destruction, she's very understanding. Well, I just wanted to let you know personally that dinner has been prepared...Nirya unnerved me by 'wondering' where you two were, and 'wondered' why Karos was on the roof." Mirabelle sighed, before turning to leave, "Can I entrust you with our Apprentice, Faralda?"

"I'll take care of her, Mirabelle." Faralda promised. Mirabelle pulled the trapdoor down after her and Faralda tightened her arms around Karos, "You hungry?"

"No...I just want to...I don't know." Karos turned around to look as far back as she could, then turned back to Faralda and parted her lips, and let her lids drop halfway to closed, and tried to slowly kiss Faralda's cheek, though her desire's burn was felt by the Altmer woman, "Was that kiss okay?"

"Yes...a little...sensuous, but...I can't fault you for it. I would ask again that you seek out another recipient of your affection, Karos."

"Why...are you with someone?"

"No, but we'll be walking on eggshells for a while."

"I understand...I'm willing to love you from afar."

"Okay...it's decided, then...it'd still be okay if...you changed your mind or...kissed someone else or..."

"Faralda...I appreciate it, but I'm sure I'll be able to wait for you." Karos tugged Faralda's hand and they went inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're so hot together...I can't wait for them to love each other freely!


	3. Books and Romance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brelyna discover Karos' secret, and Karos discovers hers.

Faralda bade Karos goodnight with an unseen hand on the Breton's back, and the seniors retired for the night, while the four Apprentices stayed back and started idle conversation.

"So, uh, Brelyna," Onmund coughed, "uh, J'zargo and I were talking, and--gods, I didn't think he could be so dirty!"

"Hm, what'd he say?" Brelyna asked, genuinely curious as to what outrageous thing the Khajiit said.

"He said that, well, there's two healthy young men and two...uh desirable young ladies and suggested that we go into pairs," Onmund's face was bright red and he looked around to make sure he was unheard, "and he decided that those pairs should...uh, do what married people do. The stuff of Lusty Argonian Maid."

"Oh." Brelyna turned to Karos, who stared, bewildered, at the Nord and Khajiit.

"Why do I get the feeling you two were working together to try to find a way of bringing this up?" Karos demanded.

"Come on, Karos." Brelyna scoffed, rising and turning back to find the Breton following her.

"Wait, is this a racial thing?" Onmund called back to them, "Look, I'm fine with either of you...or both, even, we can discuss this-"

"Okay, well, I have an arrangement that works perfectly." Brelyna stepped behind Karos and ran her hands over the smooth fabric of her robes, "This one's mine...every inch."

"C-can I at least...have her-"

"Every. Inch." Karos felt her legs shaking as the Dark Elf's hands traveled her sides, and held Brelyna's hands off of her, and stepped away from her.

"H-hey, let's go to my room, 'kay, Brey? You and I have a lot to talk about."

"Sorry, boys, my girl beacons, I can't very well make her wait, you know?" Brelyna turned around pointed at them.

 

Karos sat on a chair and looked Brelyna in the eye, "What was that back there?"

"Just something I learned along the way." Brelyna sighed reluctantly, "I hope I didn't make you think I was as...indiscriminate as they are.

"So...you're not...interested in me?" Karos stuttered.

"Not...necessarily, but then..." Brelyna bent forward, stared at Karos' lips, "hmm you smell nice, and your...proportions are appealing...I think we can try to make this work, especially if we study together, umm...I'll try to carry my weight, too, though, let you practice spells on me and stuff."

"U-um, no, see...I kind of...wanted to know that you weren't...not that you're not pretty, but...my eye's are on someone else somewhere else."

"Near?"

"Um, proximity is relative."

"Is it a senior?"

"Would that be a bad thing?"

"Only if you want to get them into trouble, Nirya can make it look really bad, she made it look like Faralda cheated her way to the top by planting potions of varying effects in Faralda's wardrobe back in the day." Brelyna ran her hands up Karos' sides, "Best to try to keep things simple."

"Hm...Brey..." Karos whispered.

"Come on, let's get some rest...I'd like to take things slowly, but I will do stuff like that if it means helping you try to focus on another junior...unless you don't want that...this will start rumors, even if we don't do anything, you know?"

"I don't know...I don't know what I want...have you ever been in love before?"

"Yeah...you know, before I came here, I studied at Cyrodiil for a year, but I wasn't allowed to be...public about it. Oh, I never went far...mostly I just kissed them and held onto them, two girlfriends so far, I left two behind...we agreed it was for the best, though...they'll be some of the best years of my life...and yes, two at the same time, but we had an understanding."

"It...it's late." Karos remarked, walking to the bed, "I never shared a bed with someone...I'll try to keep my hands to myself."

"You can cuddle with me, Kari...can I call you Kari?" she turned to Karos as she slipped under the covers.

"S-sure...I, um, hope you didn't mind me calling Brey." 

"Not at all...I feel bad for the teacher who's missing out on you, they'd be lucky to get expelled for you." Brelyna whispered from the foot of the bed--after she cast Magelight in the doorway--loud enough for Karos to hear her.

"Y-you think so?"

"Yes..." Brey hissed climbing into bed and hovering over Karos, "um, I just want to let you know...I really want to cuddle you, but that's all."

"O-oh?" Karos' gaze followed Brelyna, who fell onto her side and pulled the covers over her.

"Yeah...for now. Can I spoon you?"

"U-um...does it involve spoons?"

"Ha, ha, so innocent! No, it involved one person holding the other like a pair of spoons, one back pressed to the others chest."

"Um...uh..."

"It's just something I miss doing...if it's too early for you-"

"Um, I'd like that." _"This should be Faralda."_

"Okay, roll onto your side. I can hold your waist, right?"

"Yes..." _"Ask if you can leave...you can do this with Faralda and use invisibility spells!"_

"There." Brelyna encircled the Breton's waist and an intense heat formed in Karo's smallclothes. She felt like her thighs spread a little. Karos took deep breaths, Brelyna "hmm'd" thoughtfully and slid back, "You're shaking, Kari."

"Brelyna...I want to be with Faralda, I want her so badly, it hurts." Karos whispered.

"It's okay...you don't need to whisper here, the rooms barrier spell* blocks stuff voices and people...I guess you didn't know the College of Winterhold was so well equipped, though, huh?"

"Yeah..."

"How can I help?"

"Well, Faralda doesn't want to get in trouble, I get that she wants to wait until the day we can embrace without worry, but...it's hard, and if we could just get some time alone...just to hold hands...or if you kept tabs on Nirya at night sometimes..."

"I'll do what I can." Brelyna sighed, "You deserve love...forgive me if I'm a bit...affectionate, at times, though, you're so beautiful."

"Oh, by the Nine, thank you!" Karos turned and hugged Brelyna tightly.

"Ha, ha, just don't let Ancano hear you say that." Brelyna bit her lip as she held Karos in her arms.

 

Karos met Faralda in the Hall of Elements as she finished a lecture. The Altmer smiled at her, "I heard about you two from reliably jealous sources."

"Nothing happened...though she is pretty attracted to me...I'm holding out for you, though." Karos whispered as they sat on a bench together.

"A catch like Brelyna Maryon isn't one to be passed lightly." Faralda frowned.

"I know...but...even if it means I won't end up with either of you...I want to wait for you." Karos looked Faralda in they eye for a long time, feeling more lovesick than she had before.

"Look...it's better if you let go of me...I don't want you to, but...this is breaking an unwritten rule that can look really bad, really fast."

"I know...but I want to give you my heart...one day."

"I hope Brelyna tugs you heart her way, then, she's very lovely."

"Yes...but...can we still meet on the roof?"

"Nirya will see that coming."

"Hm..." Karos whimpered as she wracked her brain for a solution.

"Spend time with her...you might end up liking her."

"I don't want to like her...this is so hard."

 

"Hello, um, Miss Faralda," Brelyna got the teacher's attention and continued as the Altmer looked up from her book, "would you be able to...uh, harvest Snowberries with me?"

"I would." Faralda confirmed.

"Great, the hill beyond the trail from the Jarl's home has a small camp ready, just add fire, you can't miss it!" Brelyna ran away and Faralda sighed. This was Karos' doing. Poor thing was desperate to find some time alone, and while she was interested in time together, sneaking around behind the College's back would make things perilous.

Regardless, she would go to the hill, have lunch with Karos, and bring her back.

When she found the camp, though, she was surprised to find Brelyna there.

"I was expecting Karos." Faralda admitted.

"I know...you do love her, right? There's no one you're seeing?"

"Yes, I love her; no, there's no one else I have any sort of interest in."

"So, if you two got away-"

"I have students here...I can't abandon my duties."

"Understood, but if you were resupplying-"

"Brelyna..."

"I know, I know...well...let's not waste time."

 

"So, she wasn't interested?" Karos replied to Brelyna's report. She didn't even feel like a beautiful woman was next to her, writing on a note while reading a book she borrowed from the Arcaneum.

"Sorry, but she didn't seem like it...you'll just have to wait for one of her vanishing acts before finding her on the roof." Brelyna sighed, "But on the plus side, she's crazy for you."

"That's always reassuring...anyways, it turns out some books were stolen," Karos sighed wistfully, "hopefully I'll be recognized soon enough as a great mage..."

"When do we set out?" Brelyna asked unhesitatingly.

"U-uh...'we'...?" Karos breathed.

"Uh-huh, I want to help you recover those books, I'll try to stay out of your way."

"T-thank you...I mean...I know you like me and all, so-"

"So no?"

"No, no, I'll take your help!"

"Really...I mean, I don't...I thought you might be a little uncomfortable with it...specially how I came onto you like that earlier."

"Ha, I'm just concerned it'd be hard to help me do this...it's the only way I can be with the one I love." Karos decided not to mention anything about the ghost she saw in Saarthal, there were some things that didn't need to be said, especially since people would think she's been hitting the Skooma.

"Well...I admit, I get the urge to try to slow you down, but this is important to you, and as sappy and...overdone as it sounds, I hope we can at least stay good friends...I at least want to be here for you, and help you reach your goal, at least that would count for some bonding time, right? As friends."

"Thanks, Brey...I'm very grateful to you...maybe after this I can help you find someone."

"Ha, ha, if she doesn't end up falling for you!" Brelyna laughed.

"Uh, I'm sure that wouldn't happen..." Karos laughed nervously, not really sure anymore.

"Oh, seriously, you could end up with every girl from Skyrim to Highrock, you're that beautiful...and charming and...I could go on." Brelyna sighed, "Anyways, you probably want to go get those books, I promise not to incinerate them when we get to them...though that is on my mind."

Karos smiled, "Well, their important for understanding the thing we found under Saarthal."

"Oh, wow, I just thought it was for books, Urag does seem the type to send someone out to fetch lost or stolen books."

"You weren't going to burn them anyways, right?"

"Well...I'd like to say I wouldn't, but I'd at least have to avoid looking at them to keep the thought away." Brelyna cleared her throat as Karos stared at her, an amused smirk plastered to her lips, "We should get going now, before I seduce you."

"Ha, got it!" Karos laughed.

 

Karos led Brelyna down through the tundra until she saw the Dwemer ruins that sat above Fellglow Keep, then she stopped and turned to her follower, "We're close, they're on the other side of that mountain...stay close."

"Got it, let's go." Brelyna confirmed, then followed Karos, who held her hand up after a time, and sneaked up ahead. After staring she waved Brelyna over, "What is it?"

"There's...four, I think, more than just a group of disgruntled students, this is a veritable coven!" Karos whispered.

"Do we go back, ask for help?"

"No, we're here, we need those books, maybe...I don't know, no, this is it, we haven't a moment to spare," Karos cast a Lightning Rune and sighed, "you should wait around a bend, I'll lead them to us, I'll probably get hurt, so...be ready to take them on yourself."

"You can count on me." Brelyna promised.

Karos nodded grimly, and crouched as she drew her bow. Brelyna heard the sound of an impact and grimaced. She dared a glance and saw Karos running back, a yellow glow in her hand, which she released after a moment. Brelyna heard Karos' trap go off. _"Two feet per second...Karos is ten feet ahead"_ she closed her eyes and charged up an ice spike. The first robes had the hood pulled down, Karos' face was visible, and Karos ran behind her, and used Healing Hands on Brelyna, who unleashed her ice spike just as the first mage who was chasing Karos came into view, then unleashed a blast of lightning, followed by a steady stream of fire.

One mage fell, and the Fire Atronach looked weaker, but Karo's Healing Hands weren't healing her fast enough. She was about to take a potion when a particularly warm glow of energy caressed her skin, and her wounds were greatly healed, then Karos stood next to her and barraged the enemy mages and Deadra with lightning.

When the Fire Atronach fell, Karos grabbed Brelyna's hand and ran away. Brelyna heard an explosion behind her and was glad Karos pulled her away.

Karos turned to Brelyna and smiled, "You okay, Brey?"

"Yeah...how about you?" Brelyna returned.

"I'm fine...I was honestly about to use Dragonskin, but I have a feeling the more powerful mages are inside with the books, I'd hate to ask you to continue risking your life for me-" a hand fell to her shoulder and silenced her.

"It's fine, I'll help you."

"Okay, I'll try to nail them with arrows if I can, let's try to use narrow halls and staircases to our advantage," Karos began as she searched the corpses, "if there's a doorway, you should stay out of sight, I'll run out and stand across from you, then jump out into view, we'll hit them with a right angle of lightning...no key on anyone."

"Maybe the door's unlocked..."

"I hope so, let's hurry over and find out."

 

As it happened, the door was unlocked, and the two found their teamwork was excellent, they were in sync with one another and got to a chamber where Orthorn was imprisoned.

"Who in Oblivion-" Karos gasped.

"Please, you got to get me out of here!" Orthorn pleaded, shaking the bars.

"You stole our books? Honestly, I was expecting a weasel to have done this," Karos turned to Brelyna, who turned her eyes to the levers, Karos nodded and Brelyna pulled the middle lever, opening Orthorn's gate, "now, I hope you learned more about not trusting shady people."

After Orthorn rambled his thanks and offered to help, Karos shrugged, "You should go, I already have someone with me."

"Ah, right, again, my thanks!" Orthorn immediately ran back the other way and Brelyna growled as he vanished.

"I don't like the way he looked at you." Brelyna spat.

"Let's go, there will be time to deal with him later." Karos advised.

 

As Karos led Brelyna to the room wherein the Caller waited, she wondered if she could charm her.

After hearing her speak, Karos was sure it would be unlikely, but she had to try.

An offer to let her go. The Caller seemed to accept the offer and Karos went to retrieve the books. She turned and found Brelyna uneasily turning to glance at the Caller, "Brey, I have a heavy burden, and I need your opinion on how to alleviate it, take a helmet?"

"Sure." Brelyna accepted it, but as Karos handed it to her, she also pushed it to clang loudly into the floor, it landed near the Caller.

"Oh, could you go get that for me?" Karos asked, a dagger in her hand, on the far side the Caller couldn't see.

Brelyna stared at the blade, "Um, you're going to roll another helmet, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but I'm mean like that...oh, take your time, we're just going to get back by dawn." Karos chided. Brelyna nodded and Karos returned a grim nod of her own.

Brelyna went to retrieve the helmet, but fell on her knees, then looked up at the Caller, then back to Karos, "Sorry, I'm just...trying to coordinate."

"Well coordinate out of my sight." the Caller spat.

Brelyna picked up the helmet and turned to see Karos, who frowned grimly. Brelyna nodded as Karos pointed up at the Caller, "I got your helmet back!"

The Caller rolled her eyes as Brelyna shouted, and then squirmed as Karos grabbed her and swiftly ran her blade across the woman's neck, "We should take these books back." Karos murmured, checking the Callers pockets. She extracted the key and turned to collect the last book.

"She's called that for a reason, I'm sure...we can't let her go, and fighting her head-on might have killed us, who knows what would have happened if she had survived?" Brelyna assured Karos.

"I know...but knowing and doing...that. I probably would have faced her eventually, but it still doesn't deaden the pain."

Brelyna nodded and followed in respectful silence as Karos led her to Winterhold to get a cart to take them to Winterhold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I think barrier spells would be in the College and activate after a certain time, I mean the Dragonborn can hide in plain sight, so I think there's a lot of room the game gives it's gamers to write for.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry to anyone who read this before, but I messed up and referred to Karos by the wrong race, she's a Breton, not a Nord...just in case anyone was wondering.


End file.
